This morning I had way too much fun filling in for Gary Eichten on Midday, as we marked the 45th anniversary of The Beatles’ visit to Minnesota for their single performance here (August 21, 1965).

Joining me in the studio was Jon Bream, music writer for the Star Tribune, and Jim McGuinn, program director for 89.3 The Current (our sister station).

We took a number of calls from ladies who were 12 or 14 when they went to see The Beatles, and remember that concert as one of their highlights. While we didn’t have time to get to him, we did get a comment on-line from a guy who went to the show, as well, although one caller remembered the concert as being attended by “90% girls.”

We played songs from their concert set list that year (“Hard Day’s Night” and “Help!,” among others) and we also talked about where you can still hear their influence in Minnesota bands (Jeremy Messersmith, The Hang-Ups, The Jayhawks, and even Prince).

If you didn’t catch the show, just click onto the audio link above, and you can hear an excerpt from their press conference when a local reporter asks the hard-hitting question “how do you sleep with such long hair?” And Jon Bream talks about the time Paul McCartney offered him a joint backstage at a Wings concert (he swears he didn’t inhale).